uff  ield 


GIFT  OF 


Bill 

OF   THE   U.    S.   A. 

And  Other  War  Verses 


By 

Kenneth  Graham  Duffield 


PHILADELPHIA 

HENRY  ALTEMUS  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  1918,  BY  HOWARD  E.  ALTEMUS 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

BILL    7 

BILL'S  DAD 10 

THE  MOTHER  OF  BILL 13 

BACKING  UP  BILL 16 

UP  TO  BILL 21 

CHRISTMAS  AND  BILL 24 

A  LETTER  TO  BILL 27 

BILL'S  UNCLE  29 

A  PRAYER  FOR  BILL 31 

ALL  TOGETHER 33 

HELPING  BILL 35 

SEWING  FOR  BILL 37 

A  STAR  FOR  BILL 40 

OVER  THE  TOP 45 

THE  U-BOAT 47 

FOR  FRANCE   48 

VENGEANCE   51 

THEY  SHALL  NOT  PASS 53 

THE  BARBARIAN  56 

THE  COMFORTER  . . 58 

WE'LL  NEVER  GIVE  IN 60 


377819 


FOEEWOED 

Somebody 's  boy  has  crossed  th'  sea, 
T"  do  th'  fightin'  fer  you  and  me. 
Let's  call  him  "Bill" — he's  any  man's 

son 
That  carries  a  pack  an'  shoulders  a 

gun. 


BiU  of  the  U.  S.  A. 


BILL 

There  won't  much  excitement  'round 

our  way, 

'Bout  th'  war. 
We   tuk   th'   papers   an'   read    'em 

through, 

When  we  hadn'  nuthin'  better  t'  do. 
We  didn'  know  which  side  wuz  right, 
An'  didn'  much  care  who  won  th' 

fight. 

So  th'  ole  war  run  along  until 
Th'  President  said  he  needed  Bill. 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


Seems  like  th'  Dutch  wuz  a-killin'  our 

folks 

Out  on  th'  sea, 
A-sinkin'  our  ships  an'  a^sendin'  'em 

down, 
An'  lettin'  th'  wimmin  an'  children 

drown. 

Th'  President  writ  'em  a  note  er  two, 
A-tellin'  ?em  what  they'd  better  do, 
But  they  kep'  right  on  until 
Th'  President  says,  "It's  up  t'  Bill." 


So  he  sent  out  word  t'  count  th'  men 

Ez  wuz  fitten  t'  fight, 
An'  Bill  he  put  right  off  fer  town, 
An'  found  a  feller  'at  writ  it  down 
'Bout  where  he  wuz  born — what  town 

an'  state. 

An'  Bill  he  give  'im  his  age  an'  date: 
"Born  up  yonder  an'  livin'  there  still. 
Scratch  out  ' Exempt,'  I'll  fight,"  sez 

Bill. 

8 


BILL 


There     wan't     any     fellers     much 

straighter  than  Bill — 
Er  better  built. 
A  hundred  an'  eighty  an'  five  foot 

ten — 

Th'  mould  God  uses  when  makin'  men. 
Bill's  hair  wuz  black  an'  his  eyes  were 

blue — 

That  wuz  his  Irish  showin'  through. 
An'  th'  captain  sez,  ez  captains  will, 
"Send  me  a  million  men  like  Bill." 

So  Bill  he's  packed  an'  ready  t'  go, 

'Way  over  there. 
A-shoulderin'  gun   an'  his  soldier's 

kit- 
Able  an'  willin'  t'  do  his  "bit." 
Eeady  t'  see  th'  ole  war  through, 
An'  do  th'  fightin'  there  is  t'  do. 
They've   fought   together,   an'   allus 

will— 
God  an'  th'  U.  S.  A.— an'  Bill. 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


BILL'S  DAD 

Our  last  sight  uv  Bill  wuz  jest  'is  back, 
Far  off  in  th'  distance,  beneath  'is 

pack. 
Couldn'  go  t'  th'  train,  his  mother  an' 

me, 

!A-makin'  it  harder  fer  Bill,  y'  see. 
We  stood  on  the  sidewalk,  an'  watched 

'em  go — 

Shoulder  t'  shoulder,  an'  row  on  row. 
Bill  couldn'  speak,  but  'is  head  wuz 

high. 

He  gave  us  a  look,  an'  waved  " Good 
bye," 
An'  I  couldn'  help  feelin',  ez  fathers 

will, 
"Ef  it  only  wuz  me — instead  uv 

Bill!" 


10 


BILL'S    DAD 


We  didn'  say  much,  at  supper,  that 

night, 
An'    mother    seemed    older  —  more 

feeble  an'  white, 
She  stuck  it  out  somehow,  ez  brave  ez 

could  be ; 
Never  thought  uv  herself,  but  allus  uv 

me. 


We   seen   in    th'  papers    'at   BilPd 

reached  France, 
An'  off  t'  th'  front,  at  th'  very  first 

chance, 
It  told  how  th'  Frenchmen  thanked 

God,  on  their  knees, 
When  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  flew 

out  on  th'  breeze, 
Still  I  couldn'  help  feelin'  ez  fathers 

will, 

"Ef  it  only  wuz  me — instead  uv 
Bill!" 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


An'  so  it  ran  on,  with  a  word,  now  an' 

then, 
That  told  ns  uv  Bill  an'  th'  rest  uv  th' 

men. 
An'  often  at  night,  when  th'  supper 

wnz  through, 
We'd  read  in  th'  Bible  a  chapter  er 

two. 
Th'  thing  'at  hurt  most,  though,  wuz 

Bill's  empty  chair, 
Drawn  up  t'  th'  table  ez  if  he  wuz 

there. 
We   know  he'll   be   back,   when   th' 

world  is  set  free, 
An'  we'll  be  together — Bill,  mother 

an'  me. 
But  I  allus  keep  prayin',  ez  fathers 

will, 
"Ferget  about  us   God — an'  look 

after  Bill." 


12 


THE     MOTHER     OF     BILL 


THE  MOTHER  OF  BILL 

We  found  it  wuz  hard  t'  let  Bill  go 

Off  t'  th'  war. 
It's  easy  t'  cheer  th'  other  man's 

son — 
It  comes  kinda  hard  when  there 's  only 

one. 

But  Bill,  he  sez,  " There's  a  job  t'  do; 
I'll  shoulder  a  gun  an'  see  it  through." 
An'  over  in  France,  they  f oiler  'im 

still, 
Th'  love  an'  th'  prayers  uv  th'  Mother 

uv  Bill. 


13 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


Th'  day  it  wuz  cruel,  an'  th'  night  wuz 

worse, 

A-waitin'  fer  Bill. 
But  th'  Doctor  an'  me,  we  seen  it 

through, 

Him  tellin'  me  what  there  wuz  t'  do. 
An'  after  a  while  it  come  t'  me — 
We  used  t'  be  two,  but  now  wuz  three ; 
An'  a  little  pink  face,  when  all  wuz 

still, 
Wuz  snuggled  up  close  t'  th'  Mother 

uv  Bill. 


14 


THE     MOTHER     OF     BILL 


Th'  strongest  thing  in  all  Mother  's 

life 

Wuz  her  love  f  er  Bill. 
She'd  plan  an'  plan  what  he'd  be  some 

day; 
"  Ain't  nothin'  too  big  fer  Bill,"  she'd 

say. 

I  know  'at  th'  angel,  in  robes  uv  white, 
'At  gathers  th'  prayers  we  say  at 

night, 

Takes  t'  God,  first,  an'  allus  will, 
Th'  whispered  prayers  uv  the  Mother 

uv  Bill 


15 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


BACKING  UP  BILL 

There  wan't  many  fellers  went  over 

tV  sea, 

Along  with  Bill. 
Th'  "Dutch,"  they  laughed,  ez  they 

seen  'em  come, 

With  blare  uv  bugle  an'  tap  uv  drum, 
They  kinda  f ergot,  though  th'  men 

wuz  few — 
They  carried  th?  ole  Eed,  White  and 

Blue, 
An'  where  it  waves  there's  follerin' 

still, 
Ten  million  men  t'  back  up  Bill. 


16 


BACKING    UP    BILL 


TV   President   said,   ez  they   sailed 

away, 

" Hold  'em,  Bill  I" 
Git  out  in  front,  where  th'  fightin's 

hot; 

Show  'em  th'  kind  uv  men  we  got. 
Th'  food  is  coming,  an'   ships   an5 

guns — 

You'll  need  'em  all  t*  beat  th'  Huns. 
I  haven't  f ergot — an'  I  never  will — 
Th'  promise  I  made  t'  back  up  Bill." 


17 

2 — Bill  of  the  U.  S.  A. 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


A  hole  in  th'  ground  an'  a  place  t' 

sleep 

Satisfies  Bill. 

He  needs  th'  bread  an'  enough  t'  eat. 
So  use  up  th'  corn — send  HIM  th' 

wheat. 

It's  fish  an'  fowl  fer  me  an'  yon, 
But  good  red  meat  fer  th'  fightin' 

crew. 
Cut  out  th'  waste  till  we're  *'over  th' 

hill." 
Everything  counts  while'  we're  backin 

Bill. 


18 


BACKING    UP    BILL 


Some  folks  fight  an'  others  pay, 

A-helpin'  Bill 

Some  give  a  million  an'  some  a  cent; 
It  ain't  what  you  give,  bnt  how  it's 

meant. 

So  give  an'  give  an'  give  agen, 
Till  th'  country's  clean  uv  money  an' 

men. 

Give  ez  you  can,  uv  your  own  free  will, 
Stand  by  your  country — an'  back  up 

Bill. 


19 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


Folks  we're  helpin'  are  fixin'  t'  quit, 
So  th'  papers  say. 

Bill's  been  t'  school  an'  he's  almost 
through ; 

Th'  lesson's  learned,  an'  there's  work 
t'do. 

He's  in  th'  fight,  an'  he's  in  t'  stay, 

TiU  th'  "  Dutch"  are  mar  chin' t'  other 
way. 

They  ain't  won  yet,  an'  they  never 
will, 

'Cause  th'  HULL  DERNED  COUN 
TRY'S  backin'  Bill. 


20 


UP   TO   BILL 


UP  TO  BILL 

There's  ain't  many  fellers  a-laughin' 

t'day 

'Bout  th'  war. 
A-sayin'  they  know  it's  boun'  t'  be 

through, 
'Fore  Bill  an'  th'  rest  learn  what  t' 

do. 
Things  don't  run  on  ez  smooth  ez  they 

did, 

Mistakes  are  made  an'  have  t'  be  hid. 
An'  I  can't  help  thinkin'  an'  wond'rin' 

still 
If  the  Allies  don't  figger — "It's  up  t' 

Bill." 


21 


BILL    OE    THE    U.     S.     A. 


Bill's  big  an'  strong,  an'  he'll  play  th' 

game 

'Way  over  th'  sea. 
He's  heard  th'  stories  th'  blind  men 

tell 

Uv  liquid  fire,  like  a  burnin'  hell. 
He  swore  an  oath  an'  he  breathed  a 

prayer: 
"God  help  th'  < Dutch,'  if  they  don't 

play  fair." 
An'  th'  sightless  eyes  will  remind  him 

still 
Th'  payment  is  due — an'  it's  up  t' 

Bill. 


22 


UP   TO   BILL 


It's  goin'  t'  be  bitter  an'  hard  an' 

cruel 

Afore  we're  done. 
An'  the  fightin'  man,  an'  his  fightin' 

crew, 

Will  have  a-plenty  uv  work  t'  do. 
Soldiers  an'  sailors  an'  those  'at  fly 
Have  shed  their  blood  an'  had  t'  die. 
They  gave  all  they  had,  ez  brave  men 

will— 
They  fought  a  good  fight — now  it's  up 

t'  Bill 

Th'  days  will  be  long  when  there  ain't 

no  news 

A-tellin'uvBill. 
We  know  'at  he'll  stick,  through  thick 

an'  thin. 
We're  backin'  him.  up,  an'  he's  bound 

t'  win. 

An'  th'  great  big  heart  uv  the  U.  S.  A., 
A-growin'  tend'rer  day  by  day, 
Is  holdin'  him  close,  an'  ever  will, 
'Cause   her   whole    existence   is    up 

t'  Bill. 

23 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


CHEISTMAS— AND  BILL 

It  don  't  seem  more  'n  a  year  er  two, 

Since  Bill  wuz  small, 
An9    askin'    questions    'bout    Santa 

Glaus, 
An'   whether   reindeer   had   feet   er 

paws. 
But  allus  at  Christmas,  his  Mother 

an'  me, 
We'd  hang  up  th'  stockin's  fer  Bill  t' 

see. 
They  looked  real  friendly,  ez  stockin's 

do, 
With  a  dear  little  stockin'  between  th' 

two. 


24 


CHRISTMAS  — AND    BILL 

But  th'  years  run  on,  an'  th'  days 
went  by, 

Ez  they  allus  will. 

An'  Bill  he  growed  up  big  an'  strong, 
With  a  heart  ez  clean  ez  a  blue-bird's 

song. 

"We  had  our  sorrows,  ez  parents  will, 
But  never  a  heartache  cause  uv  Bill. 
An'  still  each  year,  fer  gifts  unseen, 
Th'   stockin's  hung  with  Bill's  be 
tween. 

Just  beginnin'  t'  know  Bill  good, 
When  th'  war  broke  out, 
An'  Bill  jined  up  with  th'  fightin' 

crew, 
An'  sez  t'  me,  "Dad,  there's  work  t' 

do. 

You  stay  at  home,  an'  work  an'  pay, 
I'll  fight  fer  th'  flag  an'  th'  U.  S.  A." 
He  said  he'd  be  back,  when  th'  chores 

wuz  done 
A-makin'  "good  Germans"  of  every 

Hun. 

25 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


It's  sad  an'  lonely,  at  Christmas  time, 

Fer  mother  an'  me. 
Th'  load  is  heavy  th'  parents  bear, 
With  us  over  here  an'  him  over  there, 
But  Christmas  Eve,  when  th'  fire  is 

dim. 
He'll  think  uv  us  an'  we'll  think  uv 

him, 
An'  God,  some  day,  when  th'  war  is 

done, 
Will  send  us  back  our  fightin'  son. 


26 


A    LETTEB    TO    BILL 

A  LETTER  TO  BILL 

"It's   lonely,   son,   since   you   went 

away, 

Across  th'  sea, 
Th'  birds  don't  sing  ez  they  used  t' 

do, 
When  we  went  fishin' — just  me  an' 

you. 

It's  hard  t'  bear — you're  all  I've  got, 
An'  when  I  gave  you  I  gave  a  lot. 
But  stick  t'  your  job,  an'  be  a  man, 
If  you  can't  lick  'em,  your  Daddy  can. 

"It's  go.in'  t'  be  tough  fer  me  an'  you 

'Fore  th'  war  is  done. 
You're  goin'  t'  be  hungry  an'  tired 

an'  sore. 
Th'  guns  '11  be  few  an'  oughta  be 

more. 

But  don't  fergit  I'm  with  you,  son, 
A-sweatin'  blood  till  th'  war  is  done. 
I'm  kinda  old,  but  I'm  still  a  man, 
If  you  can't  lick  'em,  your  Daddy  can. 

27 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 

"I'm  sorta  crippled  an'  not  ez  young 

Ez  I  used  t'  be. 

But  a  derned  good  fight  is  in  me  still, 
If  you  need  th'  'Old  man/  jest  hol 
ler,  Bill. 

We'll  send  th'  guns,  an'  all  th'  rest, 
You  stay  on  th'  job,  an'  do  your  best. 
Don 't  grumble  er  cuss — jest  be  a  man. 
If  you  can't  lick  'em,  your  Daddy  can. 

"We've   allus   been   pardners,   since 

you  wuz  small, 

Jest  me  an'  you. 

Seemed  like  a  knife  stuck  in  my  heart 
When  you  jined  th'  army,  t'  do  your 

part; 
I'll  work  over  here — you  fight  over 

there, 
An'  father  an'  son  are  a  pretty  good 

pair. 
An'  allus  remember,  you've  got  an 

' Old  Man,' 
If  you  can't  lick   'em,  your  Daddy 


can." 


28 


BILL'S    UNCLE 


BILL'S  UNCLE 

Bill  sent  a  letter  th'  other  day 
From  over  in  France. 
An '  started  it  off :  ' '  Dear  Uncle  Sam, 
You  told  me  t'  go  an'  here  I  am. 
Been  learnin'  a  lot  'bout  how  t'  fight, 
An'  pluggin'  away  with  all  my  might. 
I'm  kinda  tired  uv  settin'  still; 
I'm  ready  t'  fight — let's  go,"  sez  Bill. 

"  You  sure  been  a  good  ole  Uncle  t'  me 

Since  I  wuz  small. 
There's  never  been  much  you  asked 

me  t'  do. 
You're  needin'  me  bad  an'  I'll  see  you 

through. 
An'  Tommie  an'  Jean  an'  Pat  an' 

Jock, 
Are  holdin'  th'  Huns  like  a  granite 

rock. 
They're  cousins  uv  mine  an'  had  their 

fill, 
I'm  ready  t'  help — let's  go,"  sez  Bill. 

29 


BILL     OF     THE     TJ.     S.     A. 

"Th'  war  will  be  won  by  th'  man  at 

home, 

An'  we  know  it  well. 
Let    politics    go    an'    th'    personal 

grudge, 
Pick  th'  best  men — th'  people  can 

judge. 
Give  'em  th'  jobs  that  you  know  are 

hard; 

Th'  little  man's  due  fer  th' big  discard. 
There's  a  terrible  lot  uv  red  tape  still, 
Cut  it  all  loose — let's  go,"  sez  Bill. 

"It's  a  good  big  job  we've  got  on 

hand, 

Jest  me  an'  you. 
Let's  stick  together — we're  boun'  t' 

win. 

You  back  me  up  an'  I'll  never  give  in. 
I'm  leavin'  th'  folks  at  home  t'  you; 
Look  after  them  till  th'  war  is 

through. 

I  love  you,  Uncle,  an'  allus  will. 
I'll  do  MY  part.    Your  nephew,  Bill." 

30 


A    PEAYER    FOR    BILL 


A  PRAYER  FOR  BILL 

I  ain't  been  much  on  praying  God, 

Er  goin'  t'  church, 
I've  tried  t'  do  what  I  thought  wuz 

right, 
A-helpin'  my  friends  an'  treatin'  'em 

white. 

I'm  kinda  sharp  on  a  business  deal, 
I  haven't  lied  an'  I  wouldn't  steal. 
An'  so  I'm  askin'  you,  God,  to-night: 
Watch  over  Bill  when  we  start  t'  fight. 

I  know  you've  a  lot  uv  work  t'  do 

Way  over  there. 

A-watchin'  th'  Hun  at  his  hellish  play, 
An'  countin'  th'  souls  ez  they  fly  away. 
Bill's  only  a  boy,  but  he  had  t'  go, 
With  Mother  an'  me  a-lovin'  him  so. 
An'  so  we  pray,  dear  God,  to-night: 
Watch  over  Bill  when  we  start  t'  fight. 


31 


BILL     OF     THE     U.      S.     A. 


We're  lonely,  God,  an'  want  our  boy, 

Across  th'  sea. 

All  we  can  do  is  wait  an'  pray; 
It's  hard  t'  bear  with  him  away, 
Oh !  keep  him  clean  an '  brave  an '  true ; 
He's  fightin'  fer  Mother  an'  me  an' 

You. 

So  hear  me,  God,  ez  I  pray  to-night : 
Watch  over  Bill  when  we  start  t'  fight. 

We  know  it  will  end  somehow,  some 

day, 

Ez  all  things  do. 
Th'  dead  will  sleep  in  th'  Madman's 

track, 
An'  only  th'  strong  come  mar  chin' 

back. 

We'll  count  it  lost  if  th'  fight  is  won, 
Th'  price  uv  success — our  only  son. 
An'  so  I  pray,  dear  God,  to-night: 
Watch  over  Bill  when  we  start  t'  fight. 


32 


ALL    TOGETHER 


ALL  TOGETHER 

Over  in  France,  in  th'  dirt  an'  mud, 

There's  a  boy  uv  ours; 
He  said  he'd  fight  till  th'  war  wuz 

through, 

An'  leave  th'  rest  t'  me  an'  you. 
We  promised  t'  help  in  every  way; 
If  we  couldn  't  fight  we  said  we  'd  pay. 
It's  up  t'  us,  we  can  if  we  will; 
Let's  stop  our  fussin'  an'  pull  fer  Bill. 

What  does  it  matter,  when  all  is  done, 

T'  you  an'  me, 

T'  keep  our  money,  but  lose  th'  fight, 
An'  bend  our  necks  t'  th'  German's 

might? 

Let's  learn  t9  save  an'  go  without; 
Our  money  is  talkin' — let's  make  it 

shout. 

It's  up  t'  us,  we  can  if  we  will ; 
Let's  pull  together  an'  pull  fer  Bill. 


33 

3 — Bill  of  the  V.  S.  A, 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


It's  easy  t'  stand  a  wheatless  day, 

If  it's  helpin'  Bill. 

We'd  rather  be  cold  than  have  it  said 
We  used  th'  coal  when  he  needed 

bread. 

It  isn't  much,  an'  it's  rather  small 
T'  give  so  little  when  he  gives  all. 
It's  up  t'  us,  we  can  if  we  will ; 
Let's  stand  together  an'  stand  by  Bill. 

How  would  you  like  t'  take  his  place 

Out  on  th'  front? 
How  would  you  like  t'  be  young  an' 

strong, 

A-doin'  your  part  t'  right  th'  wrong? 
Your  part's  at  home — it's  hard,  I 

know, 

T'  stand  aside,  when  th'  others  go. 
It's  up  t'  us,  we  can  if  we  will ; 
We'll  pull  together— we're  all  fer  Bill. 


34 


HELPING    BILL 

HELPING  BILL 

A  great  big  drive  is  comin'  soon, 

So  th'  fellers  say, 

An'  Bill  an'  th'  rest  will  have  a  chance 
T'    show   th'    reason    they   went   V 

France. 

Th'  job  is  big  an'  th'  men  are  few, 
But  a  huskier  crowd  you  never  knew. 
They've  never  been  licked  an'  never 

will. 
I  wish  I  wuz  there  a-helpin'  Bill! 

Think  uv  'em  standin'  there  all  alone, 

Them  boys  uv  ours, 
Holdin'  their  ground  when  th'  Huns 

attack, 
A-stoppin'  'em  quick  an'  drivin'  'em 

back. 

An'  now  an'  then,  in  th'  seethin'  hell, 
You'll  hear  a  good  old  rebel  yell, 
Hear  it  a-risin',  loud  an'  shrill. 
I  wish  I  wuz  there  a-helpin'  Bill ! 


35 


BILL     OF     THE     U.      S.     A. 


It  's  a  little  bit  more  'n  a  man  can  bear, 

A-waitin'  fer  news. 
I  hardly  can  think  uv  that  boy  nv  mine 
A-takin'  his  stand  on  th'  battle-line, 
Blackened  with  powder  an'  daubed 

with  mud, 

Pale  an'  haggard  an'  red  with  blood, 
He  said  he  would  fight  an'  I  know  he 

will; 
I  wish  I  wuz  there  a-helpin'  Bill! 

They  say  we're  too  old  t'  go  an'  fight, 

Both  me  an'  you. 

We're  needed  at  home  t'  work  an'  pay 
An'  tend  t'  business  every  day. 
I'd  give  the  rest  uv  this  life  uv  mine 
T'  be  with  my  boy  on  th'  battle  line, 
A-backin'  him  up,  ez  I  allus  will; 
A-fightin'  an'  helpin'  along  with  Bill. 


36 


SEWING    FOR    BILL 


SEWING  FOE  BILL 

When  th'  President  said  he  wanted 

men 

Able  t'  fight, 
Bill    promised    t'    see    th'    ole    war 

through, 

An'  do  th'  fightin'  fer  me  an'  you. 
We  stay  at  home  an9  sleep  in  a  bed, 
While  Bill  lies  down  with  th'  dyin'  an' 

dead. 
So  git  out  an'  push,  till  we're  "over 

the  hill," 
Be  one  of  th'  workers — an'  sew  fer 

Bill. 


37 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


They're  cryin'  fer  all  yon  can  sew  er 

knit, 

Ont  on  th'  front. 
Th'  raw  red  wounds  need  rolls  nv 

ganze, 

Fer  a  life  is  lost  by  a  moment's  panse. 
Bill's  willin'  t'  fight— it's  th'  part  nv 

a  man — 
You  do  YOUR  part,  ez  good  ez  you 

can. 
So  git  out  an'  push,  till  we're  "over 

the  hill," 
Give  up  your  pleasures — an'  sew  fer 

Bill. 


38 


SEWING   FOB    BILL 


Think  uv  him  wounded  an'  all  alone, 

Way  over  there. 
Think  how  he  welcomes  that  glorious 

sight — 

Crosses  uv  red  on  th'  fields  uv  white. 
It's  little  enough  he  asks  us  V  do, 
But  what  there  is  left  is  "up  t'  you." 
So  git  out  an'  push,  till  we're  "over 

the  hill," 
"Stick  t'  your  knittin',"  and  sew  fer 

Bill 


39 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


A  STAE  FOR  BILL 

There  's  an  empty  place  with  an  empty 

chair 

In  this  house  uv  mine. 
We  lost  a  boy  but  they  gained  a  man 
Who'll  do  his  part  ez  good  ez  he  can. 
We're  lonely  an'  sad,  his  mother  an' 

me — 

They  needed  men  an'  it  had  t'  be. 
But  while  he's  gone  there's  hangin' 

still 
Our  Service  Flag  an'  it  stands  fer  Bill. 

It  wasn't  bought  but  sewed  with  care 

By  a  mother 's  hands. 
Stitch  by  stitch  an'  seam  by  seam, 
With  chokin'  sobs  an'  a  prayer  be 
tween. 

Lovin'  an'  tender  th'  hands  that  made 
Th'  flag  that  means  that  a  debt  is  paid. 
A  poor  little  flag  that  makes  me  thrill, 
All  red  an'  white  with  a  star  fer  Bill. 


40 


A    STAE    FOE    BILL 


Dear  is  our  flag,  with  it's  stars  an' 

stripes, 

Ez  it  waves  on  high. 
Th'  flag  that  is  close  t'  my  heart  t'day 
Is  th?  flag  uv  th'  boy  that  is  far  away. 
An'  th'  little  star  in  th'  field  uv  white 
Tells  uv  a  boy  that  has  gone  t'  fight. 
Our  flag  is  dear,  but  dearer  still 
That  little  blue  star  that  stands  fer 

Bill 


41 


OTHER  WAR  VERSES 


OVER   THE    TOP 


OVER  THE  TOP 

A  bookkeeper  sat  on  an  office  stool, 
With  ink  eraser  and  pen  and  rule, 
He  added  'em  up,  all  clear  'an  neat, 
An'  brought  'em  down  on  the  balance 

sheet. 
The  credits  in  black  an'  the  debits  in 

red, 
But  always  this  song  ran  through  his 

head: 
"I  want  to  go  out  with  the  Army, 

And  learn  to  take  a  chance ; 
I  want  to  be,  before  I'm  done, 
A  roarin',  fightin*  son-of-a-gun. 
I  want  to  "hike"  and  carry  a  pack, 
And  I  don't  care  if  I  never  come  back. 

I  want  to  go  over  to  France ! " 


45 


BILL    OF    THE     U.     S.     A. 


A  statement  of  this  and  an  invoice 
made, 

"  Discount  allowed  "  and  "  freight  pre 
paid,  " 

"Shipment    delayed"    and    "please 
remit," 

All  these  and  more  made  np  his  "bit." 

But  over  and  over,  throughout  the 
day, 

If  you  listened  close,  youM  hear  him 
say: 

"I  want  to  go  out  with  the  Army, 
And  wear  those  bulgin'  pants. 

I  want  to  be,  before  I'm  done, 

A  roaring  fightin'  son-of-a-gun. 

I  want  to  follow  wherever  I'm  led, 

I  want  to  know  if  my  blood  runs  red. 
I  want  to  go  over  to  France !" 


46 


THE    "U"    BOAT 


THE  "U"  BOAT 

Deep  in  the  sea,  in  the  mire  and  ooze, 

Shunning  the  sight  of  man, 
It  broods  alone,  like  a  loathsome  beast, 
Licking  its  jaws  from  its  bloody  feast, 
Under  humanity's  ban. 

Bestial,  slimy,  and  gruesome, 
Foul  from  its  hellish  meal, 
Waiting  alone  for  another  day 
To  gorge  itself  on  its  helpless  prey, 
Ruthless  and  cold  as  steel. 


Eavenous,  vile,  abhorrent, 

A  ghoul  by  its  master's  will, 
It  slavers  and  mouths  the  soft  white 

flesh 
Of  mother  and  babe,  as  they  bleed 

afresh, 
With  jaws  that  are  never  still. 


47 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


FOE  FEANCE 

(A  French  outpost  had  been  subjected  to  a 
heavy  fire  all  day  and  the  dead  and  dying  lay 
in  great  heaps  together.  When  the  German  line 
leaped  out  of  the  trenches  and  attempted  to  oc 
cupy  the  French  position,  a  dying  sergeant 
sprang  to  his  feet  with  the  cry,  "Arise,  ye 
dead!"  Animated  by  a  common  spirit,  the  dy 
ing  men  made  one  last  effort  and  hurled  the 
Germans  back  with  heavy  loss. — War  Corre 
spondent's  Report.) 


The  fight  had  been  long  and  bitter, 
And  shrapnel  and  bursting  shell 

Had  made  of  the  trench  a  shambles 
More  awful  than  tongue  can  tell. 

The  wounded  crowded  the  dying, 
The  dead  men  lay  as  they  fell ; 

The  deep-trod  mud  was  red  with  blood, 
Like  an  anteroom  loaned  by  hell. 


48 


FOE    FRANCE 


Out  of  the  smoke  came  the  Germans, 
True  sons  of  the  Terrible  Hun ; 

Counting  the  battle  ended, 
Thinking  the  fight  was  won. 

Up  sprang  a  boyish  sergeant, 

Eaising  his  flag  on  high; 
6 '  Come,  drive  them  back,  my  com 
rades — 

We  haven 't  the  time  to  die!" 


49 

4— BUI  of  the  V.  8.  A. 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


And  up  from  the  bloody  trenches 
The  wounded  and  dying  rose, 

And  hurled  what  was  left  of  their 

bodies, 
Full  hard  in  the  face  of  their  foes. 

To  France  is  the  fame  and  the  glory, 
Dear  God,  of  that  wonderful  sight ; 

When  men  that  were  almost  in  heaven, 
Arose  from  the  dead  to  fight ! 


50 


VENGEANCE 


VENGEANCE 

".  .  .  and  with  what  measure  ye  mete 
withal  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again." — 
Luke  6 :38. 

Daily  by  cot  and  pallet,  the  idle  sol 
diers  stand, 

Hearing  the  tales  of  horror,  told  by 
the  broken  band. 

Daily  they  stand  and  listen,  marking 
the  sightless  eyes 

Of  these  who  sit  in  darkness,  beneath 
the  sun-lit  skies. 


Always  the  cry  of  vengeance,  as  beg 
gars  seeking  a  dole, 

The  cry  of  the  broken  body  calling  to 
him  that's  whole. 

And  ever  the  cry  is  louder,  from  out 
the  ravished  lands, 

Of  those  that  sit  in  darkness,  with  idle, 
groping  hands. 


51 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


Daily   they   gather   closer,   touching 

them  now  and  then, 
The  scars  that  once  were  faces,  the 

bodies  that  once  were  men ; 
Deep  grows  the  pity,  deeper,  searing 

the  very  soul, 
For  those  that  sit  in  darkness,  and 

nevermore  are  whole. 

This  is  the  promise  given  to  those  that 
fight  no  more, 

Binding  and  true  the  promise,  swear 
ing  it  o  ?er  and  o  'er : 

"Full  measure  and  overflowing,  we'll 
mete  it  out  again 

To  beasts  that  hide  their  natures  un 
der  the  guise  of  men." 


52 


THEY    SHALL   NOT    PASS 


THEY  SHALL  NOT  PASS 

"To  every  man  upon  this  earth, 
Death  cometh  soon  or  late. 
And  how  can  man  die  better 
Than  facing  fearful  odds 
For  the  ashes  of  his  fathers 
And  the  Temples  of  his  Godsf ' 

Macaulay's  Horatius. 


Behind  them  lies  the  homeland, 

A-gleaming  in  the  sun, 
In  front  the  blackened  landscape, 

Tells  of  the  ruthless  Hun. 

Behind  them  lies  the  honor 
Of  daughters  and  of  wives ; 

In  front  they  rape  and  ravish, 

Where  brave  men  gave  their  lives. 


53 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


Behind  them  lies  the  passage 
Straight  to  the  heart  of  France ; 

In  front  the  hordes  of  vandals 
Fight  ever  to  advance. 

And  by  their  hope  in  heaven, 
By  flower  and  tree  and  grass ; 

By  earth  and  sky  and  water, 
They  swear, 4 '  They  shall  not  pass ! ' 


54 


THEY   SHALL   NOT    PASS 


"And  while  the  earth  is  fertile, 
And  sunshine  follows  rain, 

As  long  as  sparks  fly  upward, 
The  Boche  shall  strive  in  vain." 

And  souls  that  dwell  in  free-men 
Shall  wing  their  way  on  high, 

And  spread  the  word  in  heaven 
That  freedom  shall  not  die. 


55 


BILL     OF     THE     TJ.     S.     A. 


THE  BAEBAEIAN 

Thou  impious  one  that  dares  to  claim 
God's    sanction    for    thy    deeds    of 

shame  I 

Dost  think  a  God,  whose  only  Son 
Took  to  his  heart  each  little  one, 
Saying,  as  they  gathered  around  his 

knee, 
"Suffer  the  children  to  come  unto 

Me"; 

Dost  think  this  God  will  close  his  eyes 
To  handless  arms,  nor  hear  the  cries 
Of  innocent  babes,  by  thy  commands 
Maimed  and  helpless  throughout  the 

lands  ? 
How  dost  thou  dare,  whose  acts  are 

known, 
To  name  Our  Lord  upon  His  Throne, 


56 


THE    BAEBARIAN 


And  call  on  Him  to  be  thy  guide 
With  crimes  like  these  on  every  side? 
Thou  foolish  one,  God  is  not  mocked 
By  empty  words,  in  floods  unlocked. 
Nor  canst  thou  blind  eternal  sight 
By  deeds  of  horror  done  at  night. 
When  God  requires  thy  soul  of  thee, 
And  from  thy  crimes  the  world  is  free, 
Then  shalt  thou  know  His  judgment 

clear, 

And  cringe  and  moan  in  craven  fear. 
Then  shalt  thou  know,  thou  senseless 

clod, 
How  strong  the  justice  of  our  God ! 


57 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


THE  COMFORTER 

In  No  Man's  Land,  where  the  dead 

men  lie, 
Where  the  shrapnel  bursts  and  the 

bullets  fly, 

A  boy  lay  shattered  and  all  alone, 
Gritting  his  teeth  to  choke  a  groan. 

Friends  he  had  but  he  had  to  die, 
Broken  and  bleeding  and  wondering 

why 

No  comrade  came  to  grip  his  hand 
And  wish  him  luck  in  the  other  land. 


He  never  had  planned  to  die  like  this, 
Out  in  the  grass  where  the  bullets  hiss, 
"[Intended,  helpless  and  foul  with  mud, 
Watching  the  flow  of  his  living  blood. 


58 


THE    COMFORTER 


His  eyes  grew  dim  and  he  tried  to 

pray, 

And  the  God  of  His  Fathers,  far  away, 
Gazed  in  pity  and  sent  a  friend 

To  guard  him  close  to  the  bitter  end. 


Out  in  the  grass  a  face  looked  up, 
The  shaggy  face  of  an  Airedale  pup. 
Homely  he  was,  but  his  deep  brown 

eyes 
Lighted  with  love  and  a  glad  surprise. 

One  could  crawl  and  the  other  smile; 
Both  were  dying,  but  after  a  while 
A  dog  and  a  boy  lay  side  by  side, 
Happy  together — and  so  they  died. 


BILL     OF     THE     U.     S.     A. 


WE'LL  NEVER  GIVE  IN 

Marching  Song 

We've  packed  our  "kits"  and  crossed 

the  sea, 
Where  life  is  cheap  and  bullets  are 

free. 
WeVe  plenty  of  guns  and  enough  to 

eat; 
We're  husky  and  strong  and  hard  to 

beat. 

Tell  them  back  home, 
We  '11  never  give  in ; 
Let  them  all  know, 

We  '11  never  give  in ; 
We  're  in  the  fight  and  we  're  in  to  win ; 
So  carry  this  message,  "We'll  never 
give  in ! ' ' 


60 


WE'LL    NEVfl    O I V E    I N 


We're  up  to  our  necks  in  dirt  and  mud, 
Splashing  around  in  rivers  of  blood ; 
We  Ve  fought  all  night — we'll  fight  all 

day, 
And  the  Germans  know  there's  hell  to 

pay. 

Tell  them  back  home, 

We  '11  never  give  in ; 
Let  them  all  know, 

We  '11  never  give  in ; 
We  're  in  the  fight  and  we  're  in  to  win ; 
So  carry  this  message,  "Well  never 
give  in ! " 


61 


BILL     OP     TH.E     U.     S.     A. 


The  hunting  is  good,  there's  many  a 

Hun, 

We  shoot  them  sitting  or  on  the  run ; 
They  always  scatter  and  run  away 
From  the  guns  and  boys  of  the  U.  S.  A. 

Tell  them  back  home, 
We'll  never  give  in; 
Let  them  all  know, 

We  '11  never  give  in ; 
We  're  in  the  fight  and  we  're  in  to  win ; 
So  carry  this  message,  "We'll  never 
give  in!" 


62 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  5O  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


DEC 


Bill  of 


377819 


.2 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


